Beijing Bicycle

"Beijing Bicycle" (Chinese, 2002): This is one of the purest films I've seen all year. Don't believe the blurb written about it: two boys learn sharing through the use of one bicycle. The blurb couldn't be MORE WRONG. This story has one of the smoothest, most linear, singularly focused goals I've experienced in a film along with "The Field", which I rewatched earlier this year. There are no plot twists, no what-ifs, no "oh my god, I had no idea THAT was happening!" moments. "Beijing Bicycle" is a simple, yet symbolic film about a young man who comes to the big city, gets a job as a bicycle messenger, and things quickly go from uncomfortable, to bad, to awful, to worse it seems. "Guei" (the messenger) wasn't raised to recognize the ways of a metropolis, which tries to chew him up piece by piece. We get to "know" other characters who we believe (along with Guei) ARE who they appear to be. "Beijing Bicycle" has to be the finest expression of what I would expect to be the current set of fears by those in China who see their future as an unknown, with the "replacement model" being the U.S.A.. This story expresses the huge doubts caused by the loss of Mao and the Communist way of life. Even if it WASN'T perfect, they were familiar with it, and many of these "new world" things did not happen THEN. Those who are (literally) "buying" into the free market concepts, are losing their pride, identities, and souls. Watch for the slow, steady transitions of situations and characters. Watch for the symbols of decadence, greed, unhealthy living, improper greed, corruption, and sadness – all within a small group of teens.